Santa Cruz Police catch a suspect in LGBTQ+ bar vandalism case; Santa Cruz Police

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The Santa Cruz Police Department (SCPD) said Friday that 45-year-old James Eason is the suspect in a hate crime incident at The Neighbor's Pub Downtown Santa Cruz.

They said that Eason is currently in custody at the county jail for an unrelated crime but will be re-booked on charges of vandalism, hate crime and arson for allegedly defacing the LGBTQ+ pub.

"Upon arrival, officers discovered that someone had etched an offensive message into the glass front doors of the bar," according to police. "In addition, evidence was found suggesting an attempt to set fire to the area around the front entrance."

Police were able to spot Eason through body camera footage from a previous arrest, and compared that to security camera images of the crime, they said.

Police confirmed to KION that the pub was vandalized on Dec. 10 around 3 a.m.

This situation comes on the heels of the pub's soft opening less than one week prior.

According to their website, the pub is "a LGBTQ+ centric and socially responsible restaurant and community space."